The early morning wake-up calls, homework battles, and taxi driver duties all get shelved for a few months, which is a welcomed break for everyone. However, the freedom from tight schedules can lead to a summer of unstructured chaos. Teenagers tend to morph into nocturnal creatures, staying up all hours of the night and sleeping late into the day. This cycle can be a real challenge to manage, and it tends to throw off consistent eating and exercise habits and can send their energy levels to zero. Establishing four basic rules will help keep your teen in a good daily rhythm while enjoying the break from school and also take the nagging out of your daily conversations. It's a win-win!

 

Eat—Set a time for your teen to have breakfast that signals their bodies to wake up. For example, setting this time for 9:00 AM gets them to roll out of bed and be vertical in the morning hours.

 

Sleep—Many teens don’t get enough sleep, which disrupts their daily routines. To help them achieve a minimum of nine hours of sleep, have them go to bed no later than midnight if they wake up at 9:00 AM.

 

Exercise- This can include walking the dog, going to a friend’s house, shooting hoops, or going to the gym. The goal is for this to happen naturally, but sometimes, it may take some encouragement to do things as a family.

 

Chores—Teenagers are often reluctant to be productive, but getting them to do a chore or two daily will help them develop life skills and a work ethic. It is helpful to get their input so they will build buy-in!

 

Make the most with your teens and set the stage for healthy days with the four steps to a smooth summer!